Photo Challenge Unplugged

I started a daily photo challenge toward the end of June, with no pressure to get a picture each day because I joined half way through the month and because it was a busy month. However, come July, I was committed to doing each prompt. Here are the photos for the first half of the month. It has been fun, and challenging. It's good to be taking a picture everyday, especially on boring days that would otherwise not inspire me to pull out the camera. On some prompts, I felt like I had no inspiration and for other prompts I felt like I had no time to be creative, and still other prompts I ended up using my cell phone. But, they are what they are... and here they are. 

Day 1: Self Portrait
Self portraits always feel a little awkward... where do you look!?
This was actually a sincere side glace because I heard something just as I
pushed the button (my remote is hiding behind my mug, can you tell?).

Day 2: Busy.
This was the first weekday in our house and my first day alone. It was full of unpacking, updating our address and catching up now that we have internet. 

Day 3: Best Part of Your Day.
Our first official visitors (as in they weren't there to help us move).
This was a quicky with my cell phone :)

Day 4: Fun
I could have thought of a million different ways to say fun.. but this was the 4th of July,
and as such, we were at Blake's family reunion. His family has a big horseshoe
tournament and they all think it is tons of fun (there's a trophy and everything).

Day 5: On the Floor
Okay, this is on the deck, but we were staying at my parent's house, and there is never anything on the floor.
We went to Blake's parents' house that evening and Blake swam with his niece.

Day 6: Chair
This is actually an antique monk's bench and the back of the 'chair' rolls up
and makes it a table (for prayer, I think). I was going out to take a picture of my
favorite rocking chairs, but then I saw this and thought it was more unique.

Day 7: Garden
This is my mom and dad's garden. They were smart and rolled chicken wire
over their raised beds to keep the critters out

Day 8: Lunch
mmm. Grilled cheese on Dave's Killer Bread with a sprinkle of Johnny's Garlic seasoning. A family fave.

Day 9: Big
This one was SO hard!! Everything I took a picture of didn't look that big in the end. I'm still not sure I accomplished 'big' with this one, but seriously, this plant is big! 

Runner up for big. This is from the ceiling looking down.
I had to climb on the top rung of the ladder (despite the
warning written there). But again, not sure it really gave
the perspective needed to see how big the plant is. 

Day 10: Your Favorite Color
This was during my hike up the 'big' hill (that totally doesn't look big in pictures)
behind our house. 

Day 11: Letter
When I saw this prompt, this is exactly what I pictured. And I thought it
was perfect that on this day we only got one letter. I feel so literal.
Others posted pictures of alphabet letters or a box of love letters. When I saw
the alphabet letters I thought.. duh! That's probably what they meant!
I was glad someone else thought of it as mail letters too ;)

Day 12: Texture
This was also VERY hard. I just didn't have my creative juices flowing or
my camera at the right time. Now I see all sorts of textures around here.
This is sage brush.. the texture of the land without irrigation.  

Day 13: Open
Wide open spaces. This is from the top of the big hill behind our house. 

Day 14: Building
We were in farm country in Idaho for my cousin's wedding reception.
There are a million unique, old and/or deserted buildings,
but this one was convenient on a busy day.

Day 15: Finger
Sticky ice cream covered fingers. This is my cousin's daughter (our god-daughter)
at the ice cream parlor on a hot day. There was also a pretty funny picture of
my aunt giving someone 'the finger' but I thought I'd keep this family friendly.

Day 16: Sign
Okay, I'm a cheater. I took this yesterday. But I saw this sign and loved it, so I thought I'd get a little bit ahead.
This is a pretty old building in Filer, ID, near where we were visiting.